About Us
First Presbyterian Church, Hayfield Minnesota
We exist to connect people to Jesus and each other
Our History
Our church was established in 1898. For over 120 years, we have worshiped and served Christ in our community throughout the generations. We are seeking new ways to connect in this generation. We are a family-oriented church where young voices and the cries of babies are celebrated.
We are a smaller congregation with traditional worship services and are experimenting with a more contemporary style of worship on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Come as you are, you won’t feel out of place if you come in jeans or dress clothes and people of all ages are welcome to join us in celebrating the life of Christ.
If you’d like to join us on Sunday mornings but need a ride to church, call our church office at 507-477-2631 and we’ll arrange a time to pick you up. We believe anyone who wants to worship should be able to without barriers.
Our Mission
The mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Hayfield is to welcome all who seek to make Christ a part of their world and share God’s word. Our foundation is built on a tradition of worshiping together to share the joy found in God’s love, grace and mercy. We are a multigenerational congregation of faithful disciples with a purpose of teaching children, teens and adults to know God and lead meaningful lives in God’s image.
The Work We Do in our Church and Community
The mission of First Presbyterian Church of Hayfield is to address the spiritual and emotional needs of our congregation as well as all who need our help in the Hayfield area and throughout the world as best as we are able. Many of our members are ordained as elders and deacons and have served on Session, Deacons, or various other church committees. Several in our congregation share their musical talents during worship by singing in the church choir or ringing in the bell choir. We offer Sunday school classes to our children and youth and have an active youth group. Many members share together in fellowship during coffee hour after worship and at the many church dinners that different church organizations host in our fellowship hall throughout the year. We participate in ecumenical worship services such as during Hayfield’s Hey Days celebration and Thanksgiving Eve services. Our church participates in a rotation with other local churches to provide worship services at Field Crest Care Center. We contribute for the less fortunate both financially and by through our time to a variety of ministries.
Our members seek to use their time, talents and money to serve the needs of our community. We contribute locally through the food shelf, Share Christmas for needy families, mitten tree for needy youth, serve during worship at Field Crest Care Center, and participate in ecumenical community worship services. We also recently started a local prayer chain.
We reach out to a larger area with trips to Feed My Starving Children, donating financially and through in-kind offerings to SEMCAC (Southeast Minnesota Citizens Action Council, a local community action and assistance agency), Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch, One Great Hour of Sharing, Christmas Joy Offering, and General Assembly Overseas Mission. In the past our youth have gone on mission trips throughout the country to help other congregations.
As we look to the future, we are seeking ways that our congregation can serve the growing number of senior citizens in our community and respond to the changing family demographics and declining school-age population in the county and our congregation. The number of adults age 65 and over in the community is anticipated to increase, while the number of school-age children is projected to decline.
About Our Community
The Hayfield community is equidistant (25-30 miles) between the cities of Owatonna, Austin, and Rochester Minnesota. Austin is home to Hormel Corporation and meatpacking industries. Rochester is the home of the Mayo Clinic and the growing Destination Medical Center (DMC) complex.
Session Committees
Property, Finance and Personnel Committee
Chair: Dave Santjer
Committee Members: Tom Kramer, Melissa Doman, Dick Untiedt, Astyn Kramer, Ruth Santjer (Treasurer)
The Property, Finance, and Personnel Committee is a multi-purpose committee serving the property, finance, and personnel management of the church.
Property maintenance activities include the oversight of maintenance and expenses relating to the church and manse properties. These activities include managing service contracts (e.g., elevator maintenance, lawn care, etc.), the repair and maintenance of the church’s mechanical, heating, ventilation, and overall maintenance of the church (paint, custodial equipment, and supplies, etc.), and the costs of the utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer, and internet).
Finance management activities include monitoring the budget and budget drafting process for the church. Revenue and expense oversight is provided by this committee as well as procuring an audit of church financials annually. The Treasurer is a member of this committee and communicates the financial status to the Church Pastor, Session and Congregation as needed.
Personnel management serves the Human Resources function of the church and corporation. The primary role is to support and provide direction to all staff. Responsibilities include creation and review of job descriptions, oversight of employment and personnel policies for all staff, review of personnel compensation packages, conducting staff evaluations, monitoring staff development activities, and assisting in hiring new staff.
The Property and Finance Committee is responsible to keep the Session apprised of any pertinent renovations, repairs, financial concerns, employment, or personnel issues.
Christian Education and Youth Committee
Chair: Tara Becker
Committee Members: Melissa Doman, Maggie Kramer, Jim Kvasnicka, Sarah Gunderson, Rachel Gagliasso
The Christian Education and Youth Committee provides education and discipleship programs for all ages. Responsibilities include planning, purchasing, and implementing curricula and programs involving all age groups extending from nursery age to senior adult members and friends of the congregation. Funds allocated to this committee also support Vacation Bible School, End of School Year Picnic, and the purchase of supplies for worship bags for children to use during services.
The Christian Education and Youth Committee is responsible to keep the Session apprised of any pertinent educational or discipleship concerns or issues.
Nominating Committee
Chair: Jenna Johnson
Committee Members: Tom Kramer
The Nominating Committee seeks out and recommends elders, deacons, and members of the congregation annually and as vacancies arise. The Committee also assists in New Officer training/orientation as needed.
Auditing Committee
Chair: Dave Santjer
Committee Members: David Johnson, Lee Gunderson, Anthony Reese
The Auditing Committee is responsible to perform an annual review and audit of the financial records of the church’s bank accounts and any separate accounts held by other groups such as the Presbyterian Women, the Christian Education, and Youth Committee, and the Memorial Committee.
Worship & Music Committee
Chair: Molly Heydt
Committee Members: Jackson Heydt, Kim Jacobson, Kristi Jacobsen, Josh Jacobsen, Kasey Krekling
The Worship & Music Committee members perform the worship-related activities of setting the communion schedule, preparation of the elements, and assigning elders to assist with the disbursement of the elements. In addition, they are responsible for the availability of needed supplies (e.g., candles, oil, communion cups, grape juice, bread, wafers, etc.), ensuring the appropriate banners and paraments are displayed each Sunday and that the service is streamed via YouTube. Worship Committee members are also expected to assist and participate in services provided at the Fieldcrest Nursing facility.
The music-related responsibilities include maintaining the music library, overseeing the use of the sound and video systems, maintenance of the musical equipment, and with the approval of the Church Pastor, providing song selections for each Sunday service.
The Worship & Music Committee is responsible to keep the Session apprised of any pertinent needs or concerns for the church or congregation.
Hospitality, Outreach, and Membership Committee
(formerly Interpretation, Stewardship, & Evangelism)
Chair: Kristi Jacobsen
Committee Members: Molly Heydt, Jenna Johnson, Nancy Dahlen, Lynn Wanzek, Lesley Vander Waal, Ruth Santjer
The Hospitality, Outreach and Membership Committee members promote engagement in the community and the life of the church through the sponsorship of meaningful and enjoyable events, both within our congregation and in our larger community. Some of the events offered by the committee include Easter Breakfast, Ham Supper, Shrove Pancakes, Spring Luncheon, and Fall Dinner. Members also oversee schedules for greeters, ushers, and after-worship fellowship activities.
A primary focus of the Committee is to make the church a welcoming place for all who attend worship services and special events, with a special focus on visitors. Members are also involved with new member activities, the church pictorial directory, maintenance of the membership rolls, management of the church’s website, FaceBook page and the church electronic notifications list for church announcements.
The Hospitality, Outreach, and Membership Committee is responsible to keep the Session apprised of upcoming events, pertinent financial needs, and any assistance needed in the community.
Church Groups
Care & Wellness Group
Nurse Leader: Nancy Dahlen
Deacons: Lynn Wanzek, LaVae Kramer, Ruth Santjer, Gail Bungum, Con Boekhout
The Care & Wellness group members, in coordination with the Deacons, attend to our Church family by overseeing the Prayer Chain and planning wellness events and programs to encourage a proactive approach to the physical, mental, and spiritual health of the Church and the community. These activities include local blood drives, Healthy Hearts in Hayfield 5K, and other community activities.
The Care & Wellness Group is responsible to keep the Session apprised of any support they may need.
Memorial Fund Oversight
Treasurer: Ruth Santjer
The Memorial Fund provides a location for the collection of funds given to the church in memory of loved ones. The funds may be designated for specific items or undesignated. Undesignated funds can be used at the discretion of the Session and its Committees with receipt of approval from the families with whom the funds were designated. The Treasure is responsible to keep the Session apprised of any expenditures associated with the memorial funds.
Deacons
Deacons: Lynn Wanzek, Gail Bungum, LaVae Kramer, Con Boekhout, Ruth Santjer
The Deacons coordinating pastoral visits to those who are homebound, maintaining a card ministry by sending greeting cards to those who are ill, celebrating special occasions (birthday, Valentines, Christmas, etc.). and provide support for funeral receptions. When able, members also participate in the Care & Wellness Group activities and planning.
Technical Advisors
Tony Kramer, Kim Jacobson, Dave Santjer
Hello Hayfield FPC!
A Message from the Pastor
It is good to be in Minnesota, and it’s definitely ‘cool’ to be here. Lesley and I are so thankful for the warm hospitality you all have provided in our first week here in Hayfield! I have met many of you and hopefully will meet many more in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime I wanted to write this note of greeting and give you a little more information about who the Vander Waals are.
We come to Hayfield by way of Midland, MI, which was our home for nine years, but Lesley and I have both called the Iowa/Minnesota area our home for most of our lives. I was born in Pella, IA, where my parents still reside, and my siblings are in the Des Moines area. Lesley moved from Iowa to Mankato, MN when she was four, and her parents and brothers are still in that area today. We were married in Mankato in 2002 and spent our first year of marriage in Denver, CO as I started seminary, but we came back closer to home in 2003 and lived just south of St Paul until 2006, as I attended and graduated from Bethel Seminary. I served as pastor of Second Reformed Church in Pekin, IL for four and a half years as my first ordained call as pastor. My second call was to Midland where I served as the Family Pastor at Midland Reformed Church for nine years.
Lesley is a graduate of Augustana in Sioux Falls, SD. In our first years of marriage while I was in seminary she worked as an Activities Coordinator for a nursing home in Denver and then did administrative work for the VA in Minneapolis. For most of the time since then she has been the Home Manager for our family which started its expansion about 15 years ago when Drew was born. Reed joined the team a couple years later and, after a little break of four plus years, Ruby came along as our only Michigan born member. They will be starting their Hayfield Viking experience at the start of second semester as 9th, 7th, and 2nd graders. They all enjoy reading and video games and I probably shouldn’t share anymore since they are at that age where Dad says embarrassing things.
I hope that 2022 is starting off well for you, and if it works out in your schedule, I would love to meet so that I might get to know our FPC family better. I’m happy to come to you or meet at church or somewhere in between (but probably not outside right now). It doesn’t have to be fancy; I actually prefer non-fancy. You will probably learn that, in general, I lean towards the casual and some have even said I am ch…frugal. Feel free message me. If I don’t hear from you, you just may hear from me.
Looking forward to our time together,
Brad Vander Waal (you can call me Brad or Pastor Brad or Rev, I’m not really picky)